Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 106772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
“Yes, Coach,” they all said.
“All right, bring it in. Timberwolves on three.” I counted down, and we all yelled. The boys ambled off toward the locker room, while Jerome and I started toward my office. The door to the gym opened and closed, grabbing my attention. I turned and saw her . . . the woman who was at the game for Cutter last night. As much as I wanted to think she was there because we’d had some kind of crosscourt connection, I knew better.
With my best coach face in place, I walked toward her. “Can I help you?”
Immediately, she stuck her hand out. “I’m Antonia Bernardi, Cutter Vaughn’s aunt. Are you his coach?”
“That’s me, Weston Schmidt, and that’s Jerome Levy, my assistant.” I pointed toward Jerome, who stopped picking up the cones we had out to wave. “What can I do for you?”
“Is there a place we can talk?”
“Sure, my office is this way.”
I looked at Jerome and wondered if I should motion for him to join us or not. Selfishly, I wanted to sit in my cramped space with her. The instant attraction I’d felt last night was back, but tenfold. None of this made sense. Sure, she was beautiful, but so were a lot of women.
We entered my office, and I waited for her to cross the threshold before I closed the door behind her. She sat in the chair across from my desk and clasped her hands in her lap.
I sat across from her and inhaled sharply when my heart twisted. She wasn’t just beautiful.
Antonia was striking.
Her deep-brown, shoulder-length hair framed her face in loose waves, and though the fluorescent lighting wasn’t forgiving, she seemed to glow. Not in a way that came from makeup or careful grooming but from something deeper, something raw and untouchable. A quiet strength.
Then there were her wide-set hazel eyes, a mix of deep green and rich gold that shifted with the light. They were red-rimmed, shadowed with exhaustion. Even so, they held me captive. There was something unguarded about them, as if she wasn’t just looking at me, but through me, like she was searching for something she couldn’t quite name. And for the first time in a long time, I wanted to be that something.
And her mouth.
Christ, her lips were full and looked velvety soft. They were slightly parted, as if she had a million words she wanted to say but didn’t know where to start. My gaze lingered there a second too long before I forced myself to meet her eyes again.
I cleared my throat and shook my mind clear. She took my cue, which I was thankful for because I had no idea how to proceed.
“I need to make this quick,” she started. “I don’t want Cutter to know I’m in here.” Antonia cleared her throat and adjusted in the chair. “We’ve had some bad news; his mom is dying. She’s going to tell him tonight, and I suspect he’ll need someone to talk to that isn’t me. Miri said the two of you are close—”
“Wait, what?” I tried to process what Antonia had said but couldn’t, for the life of me, accept that Miriam was dying. She’d been a fixture in my life ever since I moved to Grove Hill and was one of my most dedicated parents, always first to volunteer.
My stomach dropped, the air in the room suddenly feeling too thick, too heavy to breathe. This community couldn’t afford to lose someone like Miriam. My chest tightened, a sharp, noticeable ache in my heart.
How could this world be so damn cruel?
My jaw clenched and my palms grew sweaty, a sure sign of impending tears. I refused to cry in front of Antonia. Not because I was afraid to express myself, but because she didn’t know me, and I had already imagined her as part of my future. Something told me crying might scare her off.
“Sorry, Miri said you’re close—”
“No, not that part, and I’m sorry for interrupting you. Ms. Vaughn is dying?”
Antonia looked away, but not before I saw her eyes fill with tears. She inhaled deeply and cleared her throat again. “Yes, cancer. I’ll be taking care of the kids for the time being. My name and number are on Cutter’s file if you need anything.” She stood and turned toward the door.
I stood as well. “If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call. I live a couple houses down from them. Please . . .” I paused, needing to take a deep inhale to keep my emotions in check. “Whatever Cutter needs, I’m available.”
Antonia partially looked over her shoulder and gave me a half something. It wasn’t a smile or grimace, but more like acceptance. She opened the door and disappeared from my office. I sat back down and let what she’d told me run on repeat through my mind.